8 Ways to Make the Most of Limited Kitchen Space

Kitchens are a big selling point for home
buyers. They want a modern and updated kitchen—with plenty of space for cooking
and entertaining. If your home or investment property suffers from a tiny
kitchen, you might be worried about how it will go over with potential buyers.
Luckily, there are a few ways you can make the most of limited kitchen space.
These tips from Rules of Renovation will help you create a kitchen that’s a joy
to live in and attractive to buyers, even if it’s lacking in square feet.

1. Utilize Vertical Space

Make the most out of kitchen space and
maximizing storage potential by installing shelving along the walls, including
above the sink and cabinet. Try hanging pot racks, mounted dish drying racks,
hooks for towels and aprons, under cabinet stemware rack, and magnetic strips
for knives.

2. Add an Over-the-Sink Cutting
Board

Cooking can be a pain when counter space is
limited. Reduce this pain point by using an over-the-sink cutting board—it
simply snaps over the sink when you need it and stows away when you don’t.
Plus, you’ll have quick access to rinsing and cleaning the cutting board when
you’re done.

3. Create a Pantry

If your small kitchen doesn’t have enough
storage space for food, consider converting a nearby space into a pantry. Is
there a coat closet or even a recess in the wall that can be fixed up into a
pantry? Install shelving and a door or curtain to keep the space looking classy
when you’re not looking inside for snacks or ingredients.

4. Consider a Folding Table

Small kitchens don’t usually have room for
islands. To add more usable surfaces to your kitchen, install a folding table
along a wall. When you need extra counter space to prepare food, pull it out
and use it for cooking. It can also be used for eating to save space on a
kitchen table if you have a small family. Fold it back up to conserve floor
space.

5. Downsize Kitchen Tools

Take a realistic look at all of your pots,
pans, and kitchen tools. What items do you actually use, what needs to be
replaced, and which can you donate? Reducing the number of things you keep in
your kitchen will help reduce clutter and maximize the space. Try to keep only
kitchen tools with more than one function—instead of hanging onto that
as-seen-on-TV egg cooker or banana slicer, just use a run-of-the-mill bowl and
knife.

6. Add Corner Shelving

Any renovation that creates more storage space
without sacrificing floor space will help make your small kitchen more usable.
Try installing shelves across the corners to store spices, cleaning supplies,
and more.

7.
DIY Pegboard

A stainless steel pegboard makes a great
backsplash or an interesting look along a wall. It can provide visual interest,
protect your walls from splatters, and provide a place to hang tongs, whisks,
small shelving, or other tools you need nearby. This kind of storage will clear
out room in a drawer without over-cluttering the limited counter space. Even
better, most home improvement stores sell stainless steel pegboards so you can
custom-make your own to fit your kitchen.

8. Stack and Nest

To maximize storage space, minimize how much
space your kitchen gear needs to take up. Buy mixing bowls that stack together.
The same goes for measuring cups and spoons. Stacking and nesting bowls,
measuring cups, and more will reduce the amount of space you need to store them
and keep everything looking nice and organized.

Whether you want to prepare a property with a
small kitchen to sell soon or live in it for a few years more, these adjustments
will maximize storage and usage space and make the kitchen more comfortable to
use. Interested in learning more about home renovations that can increase your
return on investment? Check out a FREE Rules of Renovation event!